They Mocked The Wrong Man

0006

Derek staggered to his feet, hand pressed against his burning cheek. The sting was nothing compared to the rage flooding through his veins.

He yanked his phone out, fingers trembling as he dialed.

"Security, get to the executive floor NOW!" His voice cracked. "I want this man arrested for assault!"

Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor within seconds. Thomas Berg appeared with two other guards, his face professionally neutral as he assessed the scene. Derek's red handprint was impossible to miss.

"He assaulted me!" Derek jabbed his finger at Marcus. "Look at my face! I want him arrested and charged!"

Thomas turned to Marcus, who stood exactly where he'd been, hands at his sides, breathing steady. 

"Sir, I need you to come with us."

Marcus nodded once. No argument. No plea. Just quiet acceptance.

Jessica stepped forward, her voice shaking. 

"He was protecting me! Derek tried to hit me first and Marcus..."

"Shut UP!" Derek whirled on her. "You're FIRED for defending this piece of trash!"

Thomas gestured to Marcus. "Sir, please."

Marcus moved toward the guards without resistance. The crowd parted like water, phones still raised, still recording. He passed Derek without looking at him, and for just a moment their eyes met.

Derek expected fear. Anger. Something.

What he saw looked almost like pity.

"Make sure he's blacklisted from every company in this city," Derek called after them. "I want him to never work again!"

The guards escorted Marcus toward the elevator. The doors closed. He was gone.

Derek straightened his suit jacket, touched his cheek. Still stung like hell, but it was worth it. He'd won. Marcus was finished.

Just then;

DING.

Derek's phone lit up with a notification. Then another. Around him, phones erupted like popcorn. DING. DING. DING.

Employees pulled out their phones, faces shifting as they read.

"What the..." someone muttered.

"Ownership transfer?" another voice whispered.

"Marcus Hayes? Fifty one percent?"

The murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire. Confused faces, furrowed brows, people refreshing their emails like the words might change.

"That can't be real," someone said.

"Has to be a mistake," another agreed.

"But it's from the Board of Directors..."

"He's the messenger. This doesn't make any sense."

Derek snatched the phone from the employee nearest him and read the email.

SUBJECT: Ownership Transfer, Effective Immediately

FROM: Board of Directors, Langford Technologies

Marcus Hayes is now majority shareholder with 51% controlling stake. Emergency board meeting tomorrow, 9 AM. All department heads required to attend.

Derek's face went white. His hands started to shake.

Then he laughed.

It started as a chuckle, then grew into something louder, crueler. The kind of laugh that made people uncomfortable.

"He faked it!" Derek held up the phone like evidence at a trial. "Look at this pathetic attempt!"

A few people glanced at each other, uncertain.

"You think that loser owns anything?" Derek's voice rose, commanding the corridor. "He can't even afford new shoes! This is the most desperate, sad thing I've ever seen!"

Mark and David laughed nervously, following Derek's lead. Some employees nodded. It made sense. Easier to believe than the alternative.

"The fool got tired of being a beggar and decided to play dress up!" Derek was hitting his stride now, feeding off the crowd's uncertainty. "He probably paid some hacker to send fake emails!"

"But how would he..." someone started.

"Does it matter?" Derek cut them off. "Look at him! Does THAT man look like he owns a multi million dollar company?"

More nods. More relieved faces. They wanted to believe Derek. It was simpler that way.

"This is his last pathetic attempt at a fake life before I destroy him completely!" Derek's grin was vicious. "When I'm done with him, he'll wish he never..."

The elevator at the end of the corridor dinged.

The sound cut through Derek's speech like a knife.

Heavy footsteps. Fast. Urgent.

The crowd turned.

Victoria Reeves, the CEO of the company burst into the corridor like a storm. 

Sharp gray suit, tablet clutched in one hand, face flushed like she'd been running. Three board members rushed behind her, all of them looking equally frantic.

The crowd parted instantly.

"Ms. Reeves," someone breathed.

Employees straightened up, phones disappearing into pockets. Victoria's eyes swept the corridor, wild and searching.

"Where is Marcus Hayes?"

Her voice was urgent. Almost panicked.

Derek's stomach dropped. Something was wrong. She wasn't supposed to look scared.

Victoria's gaze locked onto Derek. 

"You. Where is he?"

Derek opened his mouth, tried to find his confidence again. 

"Security took him to the holding office, but Ms. Reeves, I can explain..."

"You had him TAKEN?" Victoria's face went pale.

"Yes! He assaulted me and sent fake emails claiming he..."

Victoria wasn't listening. She was already dialing her phone, pressing it to her ear.

"Thomas, release Marcus Hayes immediately. RIGHT NOW."

She hung up without waiting for a response and turned back to Derek.

Behind her, the three board members were whispering urgently to each other, their faces tight with worry.

The crowd was dead silent. Watching. Waiting.

Derek's shirt was sticking to his back with sweat, but he could still salvage this. He just needed to explain. Needed to make her understand.

He walked toward Victoria quickly, forcing a confident smile onto his face.

"Ms. Reeves, I'm actually glad you're here."

Victoria's expression was unreadable.

"One of your employees sent fraudulent emails to the entire company." Derek gestured at the watching crowd. "Everyone received them. Fake ownership transfer documents."

He pointed back toward where Marcus had been standing. 

"Marcus Hayes, the messenger, he's behind it. He hacked the company system and forged board authorization."

Derek's chest puffed out. He was handling this. Taking charge. Showing leadership.

"I had him arrested for assault AND cyber fraud. I acted quickly to protect the company's integrity and contain the situation before it could cause more damage."

His smile widened. He could already see the corner office, the raise, the title bump.

"I think my actions today demonstrate the kind of initiative you look for in upper management positions..."

Victoria's hand moved.

CRACK.

The slap tore across Derek's face like lightning.

His head snapped sideways and he crashed into the wall.